Janine asks: I’m putting up a ceramic tile backsplash in my kitchen. Can I put the tile directly on the drywall, or do I have to tear it out and use a cement board? Danny Lipford: If you’re talking ...

Muted, mellow subway tile—in ceramic, glass, and marble—has long been the standard uniform of kitchen backsplashes. But now, the bold patterns and colors of encaustic tile are the darlings of the ...

Tile and stone have always been popular for walls and floors. They are both durable and attractive, with color, pattern, and texture choices for just about every taste and style of décor. They are ...

In the 19th and early 20th century, colorful cement tiles dazzled the floors of palaces and mansions. Now, Italian tilemaker Bisazza has tapped top designers Paola Navone, Carlo Dal Bianco, and Jaime ...

Promotion: Italian tile brand Marazzi has launched a porcelain flooring collection called Cementum, which was designed to resemble cast concrete. The Cementum tiles emulate the look of concrete but ...

The concept of aesthetics goes back to the Greek civilization and refers to perception through the senses. Despite being a philosophical concept, in architecture, aesthetics is used to translate ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...